Zion National Park

May was beautiful this year. The treelined streets were alive and full of color and fragrance, reminding me of the Portland that I fell in love with. My current extracurricular activities include swimming at the pool and trail running in Forest Park. I also recently took my stand up paddle board on the Willamette River for the first time this year.

 

Tom and I were looking forward to meeting my sister and brother-in-law, Anna and Alex, in Zion National Park for a long weekend of hiking in the scenic southwest corner of Utah. We caught our two-hour flight to Las Vegas on Saturday, before driving two hours through the desert to Hurricane, Utah. We arrived at our airbnb just in time for family dinner.

May 15-19

SUNDAY - Kolob Canyons

Zion National Park is one of five national parks in Utah, and is know for its canyons with massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink and red. The Kolob Canyons section in the quieter northwest corner of the park is where we began our adventure.

Taylor Creek Trail leads deep into a narrow box canyon toward the Double Arch Alcove, where erosion has carved out natural openings in the Navajo sandstone. The five-mile trek crisscrosses Taylor Creek.

 

Timber Creek Overlook Trail follows a small ridge for one mile, with stunning views of the Kolob Canyons and the Pine Valley Mountains. During the spring and early summer months, the dirt path is covered in desert wildflowers. Though none of our hikes on this trip were particularly strenuous, Tom and I were challenged by high desert altitude. 

The theme of the trip was to hike early, thereby reducing crowds and heat, and then relax in the afternoon. So we cooled off in the pool at our condo with a couple of beers.

MONDAY - Zion Canyon

Zion Canyon is the most visited area of the park, especially during peak summer season. As a result, many hikes are accessible only by park shuttle for most of the year. We reserved shuttle tickets at 7am, ditching our car at the visitor center.

The final stop on the shuttle (Temple of Sinawava, #9) gives access to the Riverside Walk, a two-mile paved trail that follows the Virgin River along the bottom of a narrow canyon. The path leads to the start of the Narrows--a unique opportunity to wade upstream for up to nine miles through the winding canyon (proper gear required).

 

From the Grotto (shuttle stop #6), we made a three-mile loop around the Emerald Pools and Kayenta Trail.

   

From the visitor center, the three-mile Watchman Trail ends at a viewpoint of the Temples and Towers, lower Zion Canyon, Watchman Peak and Springdale. An impromptu storm rolled in just as we neared the top, which put a pep in our step and prevented us from ending with the Pa'rus Trail.

TUESDAY - East Rim

A scenic drive through the park to the East Rim provides a bird's-eye view of Zion Canyon. A one-mile rocky and uneven trail leads to the Canyon Overlook, with a spectacular display of Pine Creek Canyon and lower Zion Canyon.

The East Mesa Trail to Observation Point (currently closed from Weeping Rock) is a seven-mile trek through ponderosa and pinyon/juniper forest--a stark contrast to our previous hikes. We caught brief glimpses into the surrounding canyons before jumping on the East Rim Trail to Observation Point. From the rim of Zion Canyon, we were moved by the truly epic view, including a great shot of the popular landmark, Angel's Landing.

Afterwards, it was brews and views at Zion Brewery. On Wednesday, Anna and Alex set off for Bryce Canyon National Park en route to Colorado, while Tom and I returned to Portland via Las Vegas. I am so glad that we made it to Zion this year. The structure/logistics of the park reminded me of Yosemite National Park, but Zion felt smaller and more accessible--three days of hiking was sufficient for me. It is very popular, so beware if you visit during the summer. Next time that I am in the area, I would push to visit Antelope Canyon (currently closed). Great trip!